Sounds like an oxymoron, but that’s the reality we live in, many services and in recent years many devices as well are, in part, paid by serving you Ads.
Here are my biggest complaints so far.
I would start with, The Economist, a publication I like reading on a regular basis and which I support by having an active subscription, but as in the physical world, where you pay for the magazine and still get ads, the same happens in the digital world. Here’s an example of the same article viewed by a guest and by a paying subscriber.
Can you spot it? Can you see the difference between the two? No? Let me help you, on the first one there’s a button with a so called, CTA, Call to Action, to “Subscribe” so you too can enjoy the same experience you had before but paying tens of Euro a month to see Ads. The main benefit of subscribing, other than supporting a “a staunchly independent global media and information-services company” is access to restricted articles and sections, which I do appreciate and enjoy. But as it stands, I can’t see myself enjoying them without an AdBlocker.
But not everything is as big and in your face as this. Some are more subtle and less easy to avoid. My second complaint is with Apple.If you buy an Apple device, you’ll be familiar with the following message: “AppleCare Coverage Available”, fancy words to call an add-on insurance service. You’ll get a similar message either way you buy the cheapest or the most expensive product in their line-up, you can’t escape.
The one above, is the message I got on the settings page of my new 300€ pair of earphones. :)
Harmless? Yes. Annoying? Absolutely.
I can see the benefit of letting the user know about this coverage, but as a user that turns off every Ad and analytics related setting I can find, it’s frustrating.I know what I want from my device, but I can’t decide because that would undermine the corporate profits.
Notable exception #
There are of course exceptions, Netflix still has the premium with no ads experience, more expensive than ever, but it’s still there. The same can’t be said about others, sometimes you can’t escape it, no matter how much you pay, you’ll be still greeted by Ads.
The solution #
There is no solution! There are compromises, in a way or another they will make that extra profit, either with ads, selling your data or by raising the price. Chose with your wallet is what I love to advocate, but sometimes it’s really difficult if there is not enough competition.